NJ Man Is at Least 9th US Tourist to Die at Dominican Republic Resort in 12 Months

55-year-old Joseph Allen from New Jersey is the latest American Tourist to pass away in the Dominican Republic this year.

The number of American deaths in the Dominican Republic has been rising this year, with Joseph Allen being at least the ninth to perish in the country. Allen passed away while staying at a resort in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, under mysterious circumstances.

A Sudden Death

The 55-year-old was found dead in his room in the Terra Linda Resort in Sosou, where he was attending a friend's birthday celebration. While the DR released an autopsy report that stated he had prior heart issues, the official cause of death is still pending and undetermined as they wait for the final toxicology report.

According to Joseph's brother, Jason, his brother was a selfless hard worker.

"My brother was a hard worker. He taught me a lot about sacrifice... He taught me so many things about being a man. He was selfless."

Investigating the Matter

Allen, who left behind a 23-year-old son, was allegedly complaining about the heat the night before, as he headed back to his room to take a shower and lie down.

Joseph shares that the report given to him by authorities said that when a housekeeper opened the door, he was already dead on the floor.

"The maid opens the door, screams, slams the door. My brother is on the floor dead, between his room and the bathroom. I'd rather not guess [who to blame] because you will drive yourself crazy with that, but I do think something is off, and I think it needs to be investigated no matter how much money or how much time it is."

Tragedies in the Dominican Republic

Just a couple of weeks prior, a couple from Maryland were also found dead in their hotel room, adding to the increasing list of American victims in the Dominican Republic.

The couple, Edward Nathaniel Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49, were on a couple's retreat when they allegedly BOTH suffered from respiratory failure and pulmonary edema, a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs.

They were both found dead in their hotel room at the Bahia Principe Hotel in La Romana when hotel staff checked their room after they missed their checkout time.

In March, a couple from New York also passed away the day they were set to go home. Orlando Moore and Portia Ravenelle ended up missing on the night they were about to drive to the airport.

The rental company allegedly already warned the couple that they should not stop or even open their windows to locals because they tend to rob tourists.

Unfortunately for the couple, they never made it to their flight and were found dead a couple of weeks later.